The man behind the burger accidentally stumbled upon omega-3-enriched beef while researching ways to improve animal health. After feeding beef cattle feed infused with flaxseeds, he found the cattle that ate these seeds produces meat richer in omega-3s. The enriched ground beef is being sold by the name GreatO Premium Ground Beef only in TOPS Friendly Markets and there appears to be some local farms around the country adopting the practice, but while this is good news for the Standard American Diet, the best part is still to come. NPR reported that Douillard has been studying the effect of flax consumption in beef cattle for the past 10 years. During this time, he found that feeding this seed to cows in the five months before slaughter offset some of the negative effects of a corn-based diet while also reducing inflammation and the need for antibiotics. This is good news because although we know that a grass-based diet is better for cows and cow-consumers—Michael Pollan famously stated a grass diet would eliminate 80 percent of the E. coli in the cows’ digestive tracts in Food, Inc.—lot owners haven’t exactly jumped on the bandwagon. In addition to delivering the consumer more omega-3s, feeding cows flax in their final months could be (with more research) a promising alternative to ensure meat safety. What’s more is flaxseeds have been found to reduce methane gas emissions in dairy cows—an environmental win. Just another day on the job for a superfood. More from Prevention: Which Is Healthier: Chia Seeds or Flax Seeds?
